Motorist found guilty of causing death of Saffron Walden motorcyclist by dangerous driving

Incident date:

Wed, 4 Jul 2012

Philip Graham, 30, of Quenden Place, Haverhill, was driving along the B1054 to catch a train at Audley End when he hit a motorcycle ridden by 37-year-old Derek Foster, who was on his way to work in Haverhill.

Graham denied causing Mr Foster’s death by dangerous driving on July 4 last year but was found guilty by a jury after a trial at Ipswich Crown Court.

Sentence was adjourned for three weeks for a pre-sentence to be prepared and Judge John Devaux told Graham that all sentencing options would be open to the court.

Peter Gair, prosecuting, told the court that Graham accepted he was driving carelessly on the day in question, but disputed driving dangerously.

Mr Gair alleged that Graham had pulled out to overtake a car on the brow of a hill and had collided with Mr Foster. “The evidence would suggest that the defendant couldn’t see the road ahead clearly as it is a blind hill,” he said.